Archive for the 'Books' Category

Was lucky enough to get to read this book for free. Even double lucky as it was proper huge and heavy hardcover I was dragging with me last month or so. This is another epic book from Dan Simmons, quite detailed and immersive detective. Main points that make it rather attractive page turner is chosen time period: near future, the world after total collapse of economy and major nations. And evil conspiracy set by the newer, more active nations who use any means necessary to reach their goals. I will not specify anything as it gonna spoil the book. But overall, it’s action packed detective with interesting twist. Maybe it’s a bit slow at times, but generally it’s ok. And as it usually happens in Dan Simmons’ books, everything starts heating up on the last pages. So it’s well worth reading!

Just finished latest Culture book of Iain Banks – “Surface Detail”. It was a nice trip. It’s one of those classic Culture novels featuring proper spacebattles with level eight tech, complex conspiracy, new and obscureВ civilizations and even interesting idea of virtuality. One of the rare books which you don’t want to end. I liked its multilayered beginning, layers of which are of course connecting and merging together in book’s climax causing nice ending. If you’re fan of Culture series, grab it!

I have finally finished this monster of a book by Dan Simmons. This is another epic masterpiece which hooked me till the last page. As quality asThe Terror, Drood is also well researched work about the last years of Charles Dickens. It involves mystery of Egypt, drug addiction and adventures into the sewers of London.В Main heroes of the book are real and the story is so compelling В that I want to read certain Dickens and Collins books now. If you liked The Terror, IВ recommendВ you to read this one. Think I’ll have to get his latest book Black Hills now too. Next book in my queue isВ China Mieville’sKraken, I’m on it already and it’s weird as usual, but the action just started so we’ll see how it goes.

I’m continuing to read the vast bibliography of my favoriteВ author. This time it’s “Inversions” written back in 1998. The novelВ containsВ two stories which are going simultaneously and not connected to each other but have oneВ narrator, but both stories have kinda similar unpredictable plot andВ sympathizingВ main characters. Banks used very clever move there: those who have read his other novels with M in the author’s name will be very pleased. Even if you think that medieval setting could be boring, this book isn’t the case. The next book I started today is “Drood” by Dan Simmons.

I’ve finally finished Dan Simmons’“The Terror” and I’m very impressed. This is awesome blend of historic novel with supernatural fiction. The old era of seafaring is very precisely described with all its difficulties and perils. I literally felt brutal atmosphere of Arctic on my spine when reading the book. To all problems that Franklin’s expedition met in these harsh ices, author added something mysterious and very dangerous multiplying their progress in the frozen sea by many times. The ending of the novel wasn’t predictable till the end, but it’s one of the best endings I ever read. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who likes adventures and nature.

Recenlty, the sinister man from the interweb contacted me and pointed me to his new creation Edict Zero – FIS audio drama. I hurriedly downloaded it and started to listen. And you know what, it’s his best creation to this day I think. It features better voice acting, appropriate sounds in background creating proper atmosphere and of course the story itself is done in trademark Mindcrime’s way: non stop developing urging you to read/listen till the end. В It has that nice radio theater quality which I liked so much when there was theater being translated on radio back in my childhood. Also, not being native english speaker I understood everything quite clearly, production quality is very well done. Waiting for the next chapter to be released!

Just felt I had to restore my habit to write about the books I read. I have finished “Ilium” by Dan Simmons recently. I didn’t know about this author at all before buying this book. I just dug through the bookstall in the shop reading annotations and one for “Ilium” hooked me. And I was not disappointed! This is great “literary sci-fi” novel featuring collapse of three dimensions: Homer’s Iliad, nearly extinct humanity still living on Earth and post-human race of robotic creatures living in Jovian space and reading Shakespeare all the time. You might think of it as someВ nonsenseВ mix, but Simmons managed to make very interesting story out of it, yet it was useful for me as I got to know Iliad much better and dusty school knowledge was renewed. So I highly recommend this book for sci-fi fans.В Being in Dan Simmons era now, I’m reading his “The Terror” at the moment. And I’d say it’s even more powerful. Will write about it more upon finishing.

With the release of WordPress 2.5 I decided to post in this dusty “blog” and test new WordPress which is now looks so leet that I feel out of place. Anyway, since the last site’ update almost 2 months have passed and it feels like 1 week. The life is quite monotonous work-home cycle here, with sporadic fun blasts like parties with friends, etc. I’m pulling myself out of the winter with the last effort. The spring is always quite depressing period for me as I fight two things: from the one side I’m kinda tired of the dark cold winter but from another I feel approaching summer sunny hell. And I’m not sure what to do to survive this collapse. The snow have melted. The mud, dirt and dust is now uncovered and lay all over the city, making me feel even worse. I’m craving for cleaning rains, but I know that there won’t be any heavy rain soon. Just sun that exposes all the old dirt making me feel sad. I wish this weather condition ends soon, making green leaves and grass cover ugliness of the world. But everything will be properly green in May or something, so it’s entire month or more to wait yet.

Living under these circumstances I’m still enjoying life as much as I can. I’ve finally read Hunter Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” which proved to be very close to the movie thus making movie indeed brilliant. I like Thompson’s style and enjoyed the book a lot. The book I’m reading now is Douglas Adams’ “Hitchiker Guide to the Galaxy”. This one is also very funny book with proper English humor which I’m fan of. I have a desire to re-watch the movie too.

In the gaming part of my life there’s hardcore raiding in WoW. We‘ve entered Hyjal Summit and Black Temple dungeons and raiding them constantly, which is really challenging and fun. I’m also very glad that there’s all Unreal Games available on Steam now. I was unable to buy UT3 here as it’s only russian version available (i hate translated games), but Steam gave me possibility to try proper UT3 and replay classic old Unreals if I ever will have spare time.

So this is basically what’s happening now at this end of the sewer. Nothing seriously exciting but not boring at the same time. Months sneak by while I’m busy performing my daily routines…

Finally, after buying this book 2 years ago I got to read it. Well, it brought nostalgic feeling and submerged me to that dim era of early Black Metal. I remember myself discovering this genre and seeking for the Black Metal records back in 1994. This genre completely changed my views on music in general, I took it rather seriously and now I’m stained with darkness for ever hopefully :)В The book is an attempt to look at the Black Metal scene from beyond. It describes all sinister things that happened in the early 90s and later. It tells about the development of the Black Metal as a genre and about various underground circles and movements. The impression from the book is like from some BBC documentary: a lot of things pulled there to create mysterious atmosphere and speculate on pure facts, but there’s no any mysticism really. At the same time there’re nice interviews with the key people of the scene, which could hint unready reader about the situation properly. If you’re an old time black metaler you don’t need this book as you know everything yourself. But if you’re passing by man who likes to widen his views on life, this book might give you some idea (even a bit wrong maybe) about underground music in general. Just don’t take too seriously what’s written there….